The Bus Life of Cairo

Photo by M.S.

I happen to be in 6th of October City, a new city blooming in the neighborhood of Cairo. I have to get to the Downtown, an hour from here. Taxi, the most common means of transportation in Egypt, would cost me around 50 Egyptian pounds (around $10) to reach my destination. I am standing on a road, watching the cars, taxes and buses passing by and instead of jumping in the cab, I decide to order a sip of culture: go and try a bus ride. Some people think this can be dangerous, especially for girls as harassment can happen. However, I get a courage, but most of all curiosity to try it out.

Firstly, you need to know how to stop the bus. And that depends on where you want to go. If you go to Pyramids street, you form your hands in the shape of a pyramid, or Lebanon square – you draw a circle with your finger. I need Tahrir square in Downtown and that is a hand stretched forward and shaken from top to bottom. First time might be a bit weird. You feel uncomfortable trying to perfect your hand’s movement in order to stop the right driver. Finally, it stops.

 „Tahrir square?” I want to make sure.

„Yes,” the crowd answers and spends a glance on my getting into the transport.

I manage to find a seat among 15 other passengers sitting by 4 in four rows. Now I start thinkink: how do I pay for my trip? Someone has the same thing on his mind. A person on my left shows his hand as a sign to give him my part of fee.

„How much?” I ask. He is trying to show me on fingers and then a guy from the first row answers „2,50 pounds.” Everyone noticed I joined the club. I give money to the guy who asked me for it. He is the collector of the fee in my row and once collected he passes it to the driver. If you don’t have a change, you can give even 50 pound banknote as the driver will open his window and with a fast movement contact the other bus driver to change your money. The driver seems to be really experienced in this, he doesn’t even slow down as he performs the quick maneuver towards the other driver.

I get an impression this is not only a means of transport; it becomes your one hour socializing place with its unique life there. There’s a guy who suddenly starts talking to me and we end up him offering me a job in Cairo. Another guy needs to pee. The bus stops and gives him the chance. Another one wants to buy Pepsi as it’s unbearably hot, and the bus stops to let him do it. You never know what can happen when you enter a bus in Cairo. In fact, it can also break down on the way and you might need either to wait till it gets repaired or take another bus. One is certain – you better not be in a hurry when exploring this adventurous life. 

Photo by M.S.

Royksopp @ Positivus festival 2011

Positivus festival 2011, Salacgrīva, Latvia

Royksopp

VIDEOs: Hurts @ Positivus festival 2011

Positivus festival 2011, Salacgrīva, Latvia

1. Hurts "Evelyn"

2. Hurts "Better Than Love"

Positivus festival: review of the Baltic bands

Positivus festival, July 15-16, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

Positivus as the largest music and arts festival in Baltics is a perfect venue for the local Baltic bands to show their music and gain new fans. This year Positivus festival hosted very well known Baltic music names, like Alina Orlova (LT), Ewert and The Two Dragons (EST), Gustavo (LV) and others, as well as the new or not so well known bands could have a space to show themselves mostly on I love you Stage and Red Bull Music Academy stage. Moreover, thanks to a close cooperation with Estonian musicians the festival this year opened Tallinn Music Week stage for the new Estonian bands.  

ZRYA (LV)

Zrya is a recently born project from Latvia coming together already very experienced musicians. Ksenija Sundejeva was a lead singer of well known band Tribes of the City while Gatis Zaķis is still active with his band The Mundane (also performing in this festival). The band opens the dark I Love You stage (tent stage) on the first day of the festival. Because this is one of the duo’s first performances, they gather quite a big local audience who are curious to taste the fresh artwork. They play something experimental. The music is so loud, deep and overwhelming that it’s almost impossible to hear and understand the lyrics and often even the language in which they sing. Luckily, we know it. They sing in English and Russian. 

Alina Orlova (LT)

Alina Orlova is singer-songwriter, painter and photographer from Lithuania. She is only 23 years young, but her talent has been heard and appreciated all around Baltics and even beyond. Alina sings in three languages – native Lithuanian, English and Russian. However, she is worth listening even if you don’t understand a word. Her music characterized as „exhilaratingly dark, Baltic folk pop” in combination with the singer’s high-trilling voice sounds joyful and doleful in the same time. It could be described exactly as it’s said on her Myspace profile – „someone’s crying behind a wall”. Alina comes on a stage with three other musicians who assist her. She herself plays the piano. Shy, warm and childish the orange-haired girl takes you in her fairytale and you naturally want to linger at her performance next to many other supporters who don’t save their applauses for Alina. Her music smiles at you, the same as the singer, even while singing. 

Das Sonntags Legion (LV)

Concertnews.be stops for a while at I love You stage to see the musicians from Das Sonntags Legion. This psychedelic rock/post rock/folk band from Riga is equipped with many instruments (guitars, violin, drums, cello and others) and are actually musicians that have previously played in other well known Latvian bands. As they have announced before they have specially prepared for this years Positivus to play compositions about anxiety, dreams and searches for power. The tent is pretty full of band’s supporters enjoying the melodies from the band’s only studio album „Acid Rain Will Eat Our Future”.

Gustavo (LV)

Gustavo is very well known Latvian hip hop artist, producer and beat maker. Even if you don’t love hip hop, Gustavo is a must see on the first day of the festival at the main Tele 2 stage. This talented personality will always find new ways to surprise his fans and listeners. Positivus festival wasn’t an exception. Before the show there were leaflets going around and saying that after certain words in his last song, everyone should sit down in silence for 90 seconds and then jump as he counts 1,2,3. Believe it or not, but that was really done. He sings in Latvian, and on Positivus stage performs mainly the songs from his latest album „Trešā elpa”/”The Third Breath”. He performs with fellow musicians and backing vocalists on a stage thus resulting his performance melodic and rhythmical. It’s enjoyable even if you don’t like hip-hop or don’t understand Latvian. Between the songs he tells a lot of stories and jokes thus creating friendly and positive atmosphere. In the end he gets almost the whole crowd ready to go for a bike tour with him. 

Auļi (LV)

Auļi starts the second day of Positivus and is a perfect band for waking up as their main music instruments – bagpipe and drums – rumble far from Cēsu Alus Stage. They are 10 people in the band – 9 Latvian guys and 1 girl from Estonia. The audience seems to enjoy them a lot as the supporters crowd dancing along with their powerful energetic music becomes bigger and bigger. They contribute to Latvian folk music scene and have gained recognition in all around Baltics. They also won The Best Folk Music Album at the Latvian Music Awards 2010. 

Iiris (EST)

She is one of the current favorite music names in Estonia, and on the way to become famous everywhere with her innovative music sounds, unique vocals and mysterious and attractive visual personality. You never know how she will surprise you in each show, but definitely she will. Iiris comes on a stage with her band and leaves an image of darkness and mystery as she wears a lot of black. Don’t be afraid! The cute Estonian girl is actually cheerful, friendly, positive and very natural. Sometimes she reminds us of a little bit naughty kid who wants to play with you – and you never know what’s on her mind. Her image and facial expressions keep changing together with her songs. Here she is a zombie, then she turns into a gummybear, astronaut or merman. She truly lives in her songs. She can be powerful and evil too. Despite her childishness, this girl seems serious, strong, hard-working and enthusiastic about what she does. There are also high expectations about her in Estonia. Iiris has been writing songs since she is 12, but on the day when she performs at Positivus, everyone becomes a guest on her 20th birthday party. The coinciding event makes her performance even more surprising as her band members have prepared a huge yellow banana as a present for her. This is the moment she hasn’t expected and therefore, „she loves the whole world tonight”.

Starmetis (LV)

This four-piece is quite new in Latvian music scene, however they know how to surprise with fresh sounds. As they have said themselves, the band loves experiments with electronica and other instruments and set no stylistic borders. They gather quite a big supporters’ crowd in the intimate I Love You stage. Their song „Natural desire” is something that surprises most – you could be interested to hear it more than one time.

Ewert and The Two Dragons (EST)

This is another Estonian band to be remembered in the current Estonian music scene. They are four professional musicians who all have gained recognition in their homecountry and after releasing their debut album „The Hills Behind The Hills” (2009) they have played sold out gigs in Tallinn and Tartu (Estonia). They have also toured the Baltic states. Moreover, last year this indie rock band made a great debut at Positivus festival. Therefore, the crowds waiting for them this year seem well deserved. In the beginning of their performance they play the well known and catchy single – „(In the End) There’s Only Love”. Perhaps, this is actually the most popular song from their second album „Good Man Down” released this year. The band seems to enjoy their presence in the festival which they suddenly call „the best festival in the world”, and so does the audience – they enjoy the happy and sometimes nostalgic indie-rock. The last song they play is „Jolene” (also from the latest album) which to our mind is their most beautiful song. But wait! Requested by the crowd here they come again for the second time and play one more song. 

Positivus festival: review of the foreign bands

Positivus festival, July 15-16, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

Editors, Royksopp, Hurts, Beach House, Mark Ronson, OK Go and much more foreign and Baltic acts were welcomed at this year’s Positivus festival in Salacgrīva, Latvia taking place for the fifth time already and gathering around 20 thousand people from all around Baltics as well as Finland, Sweden and many other foreign countries. As the biggest music and arts festival in Baltics this is not just the venue for musicians to come and play. It invites you to a perfect location in the lovely and relaxing area of never-ending woods and the Baltic beach at the coastline. It offers a lot of activities and from year to year the organizers prepare new surprises for the visitors.

One of the surprises this year was a special festival newspaper distributed on the second day of the festival. It summarized the brightest moments of the festival’s first day as well as reported on the various attractions you can do inside the festival: take a picture of yourself and see how you will look in 90 years, become a rockstar on a special stage, charge your phone while riding on a bike, take a nap or chill in comfortable hammocks slung between the pine trees. Moreover, the newspaper revealed some secrets of previous years’ stars at Positivus and their special requests and behaviors (Muse, Fatboy Slim, Moby, Pete Doherty, James). 

This festival is definitely something more than just music.It offers a little place for everything: poetry, movies, beach zone, paint club, different kinds of workshops, arts and crafts. For sure, this all is a lot just for two festival days, therefore, it’s not surprising that after the festival the organizers say they hope to add a third day in the next year’s Positivus.

Concertnews.be reviewed some of the foreign bands here:

Freak Owls (USA)

This American band from Brooklyn, New York has the honor and in the same time the difficult task to open the Cēsu Alus Stage, the second biggest one in the festival. Even if they come later than scheduled, the festival is still lacking active audience, therefore they don’t receive as much as support as perhaps wanted and deserved. However, their performance is nice. It’s actually Josh Ricchio who has created the band and writes the songs. On a stage he is he accompanied by a violinist. The songs vary from slow and melancholic to cheerful and melodic folk and indie rhythms. One must admit that the song Seaquid starting with the catchy „Na-na-na-na-na-na” will stay in your memory for a longer time. 

Dry the River (UK)

These guys coming the second on Cēsu Alus stage really rock the crowd. In fact, it’s not a crowd yet when they start playing, but they manage to attract people quite naturally. Being compared to Mumford & Sons, the London based band gives contagious energy with their indie-folk music and active interaction with the audience. They are very talkative and openly admits being a bit drunk from too much beer at backstage, as well as wonder about tiny shorts the girls are wearing in this area. They express their regrets for flying back home already in the same evening, but enjoys their time on a stage with a full spirit. Especially during the last song they empty themselves completely – their passionate and energetic guitars, drums, violin in the end turn the show into a wonderful chaos. Get ready, Pukkelpop! It’s one of their next stops.

Yoav (IS)

Yoav is a musician from Israel who has accidently been linked to Latvia by famous Latvian band Brainstorm who discovered the talented musician and invited as a supporting act for their 2 gigs in the end on 2010. Since then his music is very well known to Latvians. Now there is no surprise why he deserves nothing, but the main stage when giving his third show in Latvia. Thanks to his unique musical influences the music created by just one person „fuses the singer-songwriter tradition with Eastern scales and rhythms, all rooted in a dance-club groove”. This is how Positivus festival speaks about him. Yoav starts his show with the song „Yellowbrite smile” and the audience doesn’t need much to start dancing already. He continues with other well known singles, such as „Club Thing”, „Beautiful Lie”, all of them well appreciated by the dancing crowd. Yoav looks truly happy to be here – he openly drinks Vodka, thanks the audience and is ready to enjoy this party himself. It’s amazing how one bright personality on a stage can make your legs move and everyone is just dancing as he says in his last song „We all are dancing”. Indeed, „we all are dancing anyway” despite the rain which starts exactly during this song. The musician seems truly proud to be here and dedicates this last song to the already mentioned Latvian band Brainstorm as their established contact 1,5 years ago is the reason for his recognition in Latvia. „Otherwise, I wouldn’t be here,” he admits.

Alcoholic Faith Mission (Denmark/Brooklyn)

I manage to see this Danish indie band (currently based in Brooklyn) just for 15 minutes in which they show pretty nice performance and a really warm attitude to the audience. The audience cheers as the band demonstrates some perfectly learned Latvian phrases. In fact, there are not much fans in front, but those who are there seem to enjoy their music that can start with acoustic folk and then grow to loud, fast and catchy melodies, all accompanied by Kristine Permild’s interesting vocals. They seem to purposefully seek for mixture of different styles and elements that result in interesting sounds.

King Charles (UK)

This very attractive personality with his famous great hair and passion for music comes on the main Tele 2 stage to get the crowd crazy for him. London based musician’s contagious energy immediately spreads in the audience and in the end everyone is having fun including the main hero. King Charles shows some acrobatic skills and bravely climbs up the stage rod with his guitar. Then he stays there for a while to perform one instrumental song. Everyone’s eyes and cameras are glued to him. For sure, the audience doesn’t miss his greatest singles „Love Lust” and „We Didn’t Start The Fire” and he ends his show with a slow song dedicated to all girls.

OK Go (USA)

The party at the main Tele 2 stage started with King Charles goes even wilder when the colourful guys from OK Go come on a stage. If there was a competition for the band with the best prepared homework, I would vote OK Go for this title. Apart from their vibrant music and colorful appearances, they like to talk a lot on a stage and make the audience laugh and enjoy. They have learned to say in Latvian „Sorry, I don’t speak Latvian because I am a stupid american”, as well as they keep being enthusiastic about performing in Latvia. They seem to have googled about this country a bit and now let the audience learn their findings about some facts, like highest ratio of women impresses them most. Then the singer doesn’t hesitate longer – he takes his guitar and goes straight to those girls in the crowd and sings from there. The crowd loves them even more. This band is really extravagant and overwhelmingly wild! And in the end everyone sings along with the catchy „When the morning comes...” as they perform the song „This Too Shall Pass”. And we want it or not, it does...it passed to give a stage for...Mark Ronson.

Mark Ronson & The Business Intl (UK/USA)

Grammy and Brit Award winner Mark Ronson comes on a stage to continue the great party at the main Tele 2 stage started with King Charles and OK Go. We hear „Valerie”, „The Bike Song”, „Somebody To Love Me”. His team keeps surprising the audience with crazy DJ sets and demands the audience for its maximum. „Bang, Bang, Bang,” everyone should sing in the end and the party can’t be finished until it’s not done properly loud.

James (UK)

„Possibly the most anticipated come-back in Positivus history”, this is how Positivus festival presents James. This band has been long awaited to come back to Latvia already since their first appearance in the very first Positivus festival five years ago. In fact, it might be likewise as the band has recognized their first performance at Positivus as the best ever. That time when Positivus was visited by only a few thousand of people they didn’t want to leave the festival territory and once arrived in the capital city Riga, James leader was so full of positive emotions that he couldn’t fall sleep and wrote a new song, reveals the festival newspaper.  The band’s warm and positive attitude accompanied with the great hits are the ones attractive to the audience and a perfect combination to create a special magic feeling. They are not lucky as the rain interferes their performance already in the first songs, but that doesn’t stop the band. The lead singer rather comes out and sings in the rain the well known „Standing in the rain”. Amazing, how he stops the rain with the next song „Waterfall”! It seems natural for the audience to love James as the leader of the band is simple in his nature, during the hit „Say something” he turns to the audience, greets them and let his hands to be touched by many admirers, mostly girls whose eyes he is looking at and singing. I miss a part of his performance as I go to see Beach House, but once coming back the scene doesn’t surprise at all. The same as in his first show at Positivus James end up with lots of fans on a stage performing together with him. 

Beach House (USA)

While James is loved by crowds at the main stage, a more intimate feeling can be gained at Cēsu Alus stage where Beach House, one of the greatest names of this year’s Positivus are welcomed. They are also not lucky with the weather, however, the audience keep standing and enjoying the lovely shoegazing duo’s dream pop melodies. Victoria Legrand feels sorry for the rain, but expresses the band’s happiness to be here and be welcomed so nicely. They mostly perform the well known songs from their third and the latest album „Teen Dream”. Everyone is silently pondering in their hits „Norway”, „Used to Be”, „Take Care” and others. Moreover, Victoria’s spectacular and charming vocals is something worth enjoying and admiring each sound as it stays in you for a longer time.

Röyksopp and their theatre

Positivus festival, July 16th, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

To see a video of Royksopp at Positivus, click here.

Positivus festival in Salacgrīva was one of the rare opportunities this summer to see the amazing live performance of Norwegian electronic music duo Röyksopp. The band which has received numerous awards and gained well deserved world’s attention for the first time honored Latvia and music lovers of Positivus festival.

The band’s gigs have been famous for their outfits and visual images they create on a stage. Positivus wasn’t an exception. The band comes on the main stage (Tele 2 stage) as the final headliner of the second and the last day of Positivus and are warmly welcomed by cheering audience. They start their show with a long instrumental intro with sounds from the newest album Senior while this is the time for the audience to prepare for the show, as well as admire the visual creativity of Röyksopp. Besides Svein Berge and Torbjørn Brundtland whose faces are covered with sort of masks, there is also a guitarist on a stage with a sack on his head and bright yellow costume.

Mysterious and unique the duo officially opens the show with the song „Happy up there” from their third album Junior. It’s well received and appreciated by the audience. Moreover, as the song says, „I am ready for it”...and the band is enthusiastic to start! They take off their masks as they continue with one of the duo’s biggest hits „Remind Me” from their first album. The audience keeps supporting the band, though this doesn’t sound like their maximum. It seems this is a music rather for watching and dancing, not that much yelling and screaming and singing along.

They continue the show with instrumental melodies from the newest album Senior and especially guitarist’s talent is highlighted. Then we get back to the disco rhythms to keep on dancing and then the next song comes with new masks as it’s time for „The Girl and The Robot” (from the third album Junior). The Girl is being performed by a female singer who comes on a stage and one of the Röyksopp guys becomes a Robot putting on a robot mask. The performance of this song turns out to be even theatrical as the main characters maintain a role-play, for example, there’s a moment when the girl tries to touch the scary robot.

The masks are being changed constantly and when necessary for songs new singers come on a stage. It seems each song is well prepared and designed not only musically, but also visually thus giving an image to every song. The audience cheers and dances when such well known hits as „What Else is There?” and „Only This Moment” from the second album The Understanding are played. It’s impossible to resist the alluring electronic musical rhythms and also the warm attitude that comes from the band each time they thank the crowd for being so nice. „Do you want to hear more?” they ask and the continues with one more song.

They go to the backstage, but only for a few minutes. Röyksopp guys are back for the second time with new masks and new instrumental pieces. It’s amazing to listen and watch them as the fireworks are sparkling up in the sky above the stage celebrating the end of the festival. The crowd would have wanted more songs, however the show is over. It was really impressive and it definitely fit in the farewell feelings of this years Positivus festival. Even the rain had stopped exactly for the show, not interfering the band’s performance as it happened in the case of James and Beach House. Röyksopp did a great job!

Editors who didn’t stop the rain

Positivus festival, July, 15th, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

The main headliners of the first day at Positivus festival came right after Hurts whose romance and emotions were naturally flown away by indie rockers Editors from Birmingham. 

The four-piece is not about to be introduced as their music speaks itself. The band with oustanding and highly awarded three albums have finally come to play to Latvia and show their passion to the music fans of Positivus festival. They have been looking forward to it. Russel Leetch, the bass guitarist of the band said it in the interview to Latvian webbportal TVNET shortly before their visit to Latvia.

Though in the beginning of their perfomance they seemed to experience some technical sound problems, the show went on. Moreover, shorty before Editors arrived on a stage the audience was showered with rain, but even that didn’t stop enjoying the long awaited band and its performance.

As Russel Leetch said in the interview the playlist of their show will not much differ from the other venues they have played. They started with the song „Camera” from the first album „The Back Room” and kept playing some more songs from their debut album. Then the three albums were mixed inviting the audience to dance each time they hear well known singles, such as „Bullets”, „Munich”, „The Racing Rats”, „All Sparks”, „Smokers outside Hospital doors”and others. For sure, the crowd were not missing Tom’s piano solo. Tom introduces the band and they go off the stage to come back with three more songs. „Papillon” from the newest album „In This Light and on This Evening” is one of them.

The lead singer Tom didn’t talk much to the audience, but surely the bands greatest hits did giving to the crowd what they wanted. Everyone, especially in the front rows seemed enjoying, dancing and yelling, however, I must admit that the band doesn’t make such an emotional link with the audience as previously mentioned Hurts did. I guess, these are just different approaches and can’t be compared though. 

Hearts beat for Hurts

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva

Positivus festival, July 15th, 2011
Salacgrīva, Latvia

To see videos of Hurts at Positivus, go here.

Topped as the best performance at this year’s Glastonbury festival the  Manchester based synth-pop duo Hurts were the first headlineres to be received at Positivus festival in Salacgrīva, Latvia by thousands of listeners from all Baltics and other countries.

The long awaited indie electronic band comes on a stage accompanied by screaming girls, shouts and applauses. The cheering becomes louder as the audience faces vocalist Theo Hutchcraft and keyboardist/guitarist Adam Anderson. Especially, Theo, dressed in his classical black suit and white shirt with his charming gentleman personality is exactly what the screaming girls in the front rows can’t resist to.

The same debut album „Happiness” released in 2010 and played in sold out gigs and shows in many cities throughout the last two years...perhaps they even have the same way of perfoming with white roses intriguingly rolled in Theo’s hands before throwing to the aucience...The lead singer’s natural and genuine emotions, smiles, whispers and hand touching his heart...however, it feels, this band cares to make every single gig special and unique. They strive for professionality, as they have said it in interviews. They care to get on the same line with the audience thus catching synergy and mutual heartbeats between the band and the audience throughout the whole show. So, they did at Positivus festival where every song was perceived with a special aura.

Their debut album „Happiness” could be perceived as a well known story, however each venue seems to make it so different. In the evening of June, 15th it started with the magical sounds of „Silver Lining”. It’s followed by their debut single „Wonderful Life” and Theo’s first roses to the audience. The story continues with „Happiness”, then followed by „Blood, Tears & Gold”. „They say Latvian girls are the most beautiful,” the lead singer keeps spoiling the girls not only with roses but also his words. „So stay with me Evelyn, don’t leave me with a medicine” Hurts perform the powerful song „Evelyn”. Theo beats his micropone stand as he sings it and it seems so right to do it. The show goes on with „Sunday”, „Verona”, „Unspoken”, „Devotion”, „Confide in Me”. The atmosphere gets even more emotional as Theo beats his hand on his heart. He screams. He leans his forhead thoughtfully on the stand of the microphone. He is real. And then the man in his black suit invites the audience to „try something very special” – turn on the lights of the mobile phones and wave the devices in the dark as „Illuminated” is being perfomed. „We are all illuminated,” the choire sings and requests the next song. „Stay! Stay Stay!” They yell. The band gladly follows the request and before singing the last song, they thank the audience. Moreover, they thank Latvia by taking Latvian flag and waving it into the rhythmes of „Better than Love”. Theo promises to take it with him to the airport as the audience keeps clapping and clapping. Then he kisses the flag with his full respect and empathy. Indeed, this is better than love...

The band leaves the stage and I can just agree with the voters of the poll at Glastonbury festival. Hurts is something to be seen and heard live! They are worth screaming out your voice and sympathizing with their emotional story...

Photo by Margarita Ogoļceva